Welcome Wilmington

August 16 September 17, 2008 Opening Reception August 16, 7 10 pm

Arnoldo Vargas

Wilmington California is synonymous with Industry. Home to more oil refineries than any other US city and gateway to the third largest port in the world, Wilmington is also synonymous with skyrocketing levels of pollution, cancer, asthma, and other ill effects of industry. “Welcome Wilmington” is a photographic exhibition by Arnoldo Vargas chronicling not only the glare of Wilmington’s oil refineries but also the complex political relationship with the thriving community who live within it. Documenting altars of victims of police shootings or participants in this year’s Peace and Dignity Run, Vargas examines the ways various instances of spiritual reflection continue to manifest within this structure.

Arnoldo Vargas received his BA from UCLA in fine art in 1999 and will be attending Calarts for his MFA in the fall. He has exhibited through out California, with his most recent exhibition “Stardust” at Space 47 in San Jose. He is a native of Wilmington, California, where he currently teaches art at Banning High School.